Rumble Club the official website

RUMBLE CLUB- In Case of Rumble… (Rumble Club Records) Attention all you psychotic hilljobs, my favorite KY rockabillies are back (and that’s KY as in the great state of Kentucky , not the fuck lubricant, ya greazeball)! While I thought Rumble Club’s last release, Rumble Club Rides Tonight, could’ve alternately been called Guns, Pussy, Hot Rods and Beer, this one could easily take its title from track 11, “Gonna Do Me Some Sinnin’.” I mean, hell, baby, they cover all the fun things here- murder, gambling problems, road rage, being tormented by the devil and a variety of other downright ornery behaviors. It’s kind of like those old ‘50s dime novels that so excellently paint tales of lurid conflict (you know- red hot shit like SIN MAN: His guitar played a lust song for wantons). Rumble Club does this with a perfect balance of over-the-top vice AND authenticity. But what prevents this band from merely being an interesting retro act is that they just sound so GOD DAMN GOOD. These fuckers play some seriously smokin’ tunes. You don’t have to look further than this disc’s opener, “The Youngers,” (a blistering tale of three ill-fated brothers who have a penchant for violent pranks and who ultimately go out with one helluva bang) to understand what I mean. All this said, I already knew that Rumble Club could rock the fuck out of shit. But what’s really impressed me with this release is that they can also make subtle and more understated tracks like the smooth, galloping “Leaving This Town,” a number about young lovers leaving a dead end place together, work so well. Leader Jack Coray’s deep, clear, mighty voice sounds better than ever, the guitar work is top-notch, often vicious and consistently awesome (with more ass kickin’ riffs than crabs on a two-bit whore), and the rhythm section pounds away throughout this disc like nobody’s got-dang bidness. As if the 12 new cuts these talented rockabillies give us here weren’t enough, they’ve tacked on three torrid live versions of songs originally released on the last one. Powerful good stuff.–Ben Hunter

Rockabilly rocks Covington

By Nicole Hamilton

COVINGTON – Playing bass for the rockabilly band Rumble Club is a lot like running down a hill as fast as you can, says Alex “Bones” Becket.

“Its full throttle from the first chord,” says Becket, who has been slapping his upright with Rumble Club for two years. “It’s high energy and intense and just builds in momentum the whole night.”

The Covington-based four-piece, led by singer/songwriter Jack Coray, recently released their second full-length album, “In Case of Rumble” And if the success of the first album is any indication of what is yet to come, Coray and the boys will be sending their CDs all over the globe.

Rumble Club released their first full-length record, “Rumble Club Rides Tonight” in 2005. And soon after, Becket says they were selling albums to listeners as far away as Asia and Europe.

“We sold something like 60 albums one day to a place in Japan,” he says.

Becket says Rumble Club plays “a little bit of everything” at shows, and that’s what sets them apart from other rockabilly bands that play with a heavy country or punk rock accent.

“You can’t classify us – we may play a country tune, and then some psycho-billy, and then an old punk tune,” says Becket.

And the crowd at shows is diverse, says fan Cannon Miller, 35, who has been going to Rumble Club shows since they formed in 2004.

“You get the usual suspects,” says Cannon. “There’s a core group who like to get dressed up and have fun, you know, keep the drama to a minimum. And we’re always bring new friends [to shows] so the circle grows.”

But Coray’s “Deep as the Mississippi,” Cash-like voice and the band’s country tendencies draws an older crowd, too.

“Rockabilly can do that – it can attract a cool mix of people of all ages,” says Cannon, who owns Acme Tattoo and Piercing on Vine Street in Corryville.

Becket says Rumble Club (that also features acoustic guitarist Jay “Chewy” Clark and drummer Tim Heinrich) plans on touring the country soon, in places like Chicago and Chattanooga, Tennessee. Eventually, he says they would like to tour Japan and Europe – where they have a strong following.

“Rockabilly, roots, and alt-country music is really popular right now in Europe. They don’t think of it as your granddaddy’s music,” says Becket.

Miller agrees: “Europeans enjoy authentic American music played by authentic Americans. And if any local boys can pull off [a European tour] its Rumble Club.”
But for now, Coray is focused on the shows a little closer to home. Rumble Club has already shared the stage twice with Rockabilly legend The Reverend Horton Heat, as well as with Rosie Florez, and the Meteorites.

Rumble Club recently played to a packed house Downtown at the Poison Room at 301 West Fifth St. last week for their CD-release concert.

Upcoming shows include opening for Unknown Hinson at 2820 Vine St., Top Cats in Clifton on May 4 and for the legendary Shack Shakers at the Mad Hatter at 620 Scott St. in Covington in June.

Rumble Club plays a show once a month at Mac’s Pizza and Pub 205 W. McMillan St. in Clifton where Coray says they’ve made fans of the college crowd.

He is also busy developing his record label, Rumble Club Records, that produces and promotes roots-rock and alternative-country acts.

Rumble Club plays Mac’s Pizza and Pub April 21.

For locations where Rumble Club will play next, visit www.rumbleclub.com.

Nicole can be contacted via e-mail at nhamilton@townmediainc.com.

Rockabilly music seems to have more spin-offs than All In the Family. Sub-genres include Psychobilly, Voodoobilly, Thrashabilly, Punkabilly, Horrorbilly, Countrybilly and numerous others. I even found one Web site that said if you want to start a Rockabilly band but haven't yet, you play "Probabilly."

With a couple of exceptions, many of these 'billy clubs are started by one band, which becomes the sole practitioner. You rap over Eddie Cochran riffs? Congratulations, you're the pioneer of Rapabilly. Your music's like Charlie Parker meets the Stray Cats? Welcome to Bopabilly -- population: you.

The sound of Northern Kentucky's Rumble Club has some elements of many of the various subgenres, but none are quite appropriate to describe the band. The foursome fuses Pscychobilly's rocket-fuel energy but retains strong ties to Rockabilly, Rock & Roll and Country tradition. There's also a little Surf thrown in. For a genre so locked into to tradition, it's refreshing to hear artists like Rumble Club find there own distinct voice. Ultimately, thanks to great songwriting and their less restrictive approach, they land somewhere all their own. Therefore, by the powers invested in me by absolutely no one, I proclaim that Rumble Club's music will now be classified as "Rumblebilly."

Rumble Club began in 2004, releasing an EP, followed by the full-length, Rumble Club Rides Tonight, a year later. The band has drawn international attention, earning radio play on variously formatted stations around the globe and scoring write-ups in publications like Rockabilly Magazine. The band's new record, In Case of Rumble ..., should facilitate even more praise. In Case is being released Friday in conjunction with an RC show at downtown's Poison Room. The fun starts at 10 p.m. and features guests Lost State of Franklin, Hotel War and local Roots music hero, David Rhodes Brown.

Each song on In Case of Rumble is like a mini-version of an old pulp novel, telling tales of juvies, hot rods, gamblers and other cool outsiders and troublemakers. The members are ace instrumentalists and their dexterous chops are one of the main reasons In Case works so well. While it sometimes seems that adrenalized Rockabilly/Psychobilly acts are started by young ruffians weaned on Punk whose admiration of the bygone-era of Rockabilly's peak doesn't translate to convincing performance skills, Rumble Club almost seems the opposite. Their deftness and command enables them to infuse "outside" elements rather naturally.

While more than capably supported by an airtight, vigorous rhythm section, it is singer/guitarist Jack Coray's guitar work and magnetic vocals that are the most instantly grabbing. He plays guitar like a cross between Carl Perkins, Junior Brown and Dick Dale and he's vocally akin to Johnny Cash and Mike Ness, making for a devastating combination. Highlights include chugging, slashing rebel anthem "The Youngers," the clickin' instrumental "Chicken Pickin'," the punky, overdriven "'59 Caddy" (which recalls The Cramps wonderfully) and the more traditional strut of "Rockin' Billy Rooster." Whether you like Rockabilly, Punk or just great, pure Rock & Roll, Rumble Club has just what you need. And more. (rumbleclub.com)

http://www.citybeat.com/current/musicspillit.shtml

3 questions with...Rumble Club

Releasing its new disc In Case of Rumble on Friday, local rockabilly/psychobilly band Rumble Club throws a bash at Poison Room. I chatted with lead singer/guitarist Jack Coray about the disc, his record label and plans for the future.

We spent a lot of time on this one - we started recording in November of last year. This time around I decided to build my own studio, and that's why some of it took a little time, putting the studio together. The first session we had, we weren't happy with how it turned out so I had to get some more equipment. We switched to Pro Tools, so it was a bit of a learning curve for me. But by about December we were able to get moving.

I started the label in 2004 ... The band is basically signed on to the label and we do the label - myself and a few other folks. I do the producing and we put out the CDs and we have some distributors that we work with. And we sell our CDs all over the world - it's not just a local thing where we go in and sell at our shows. We really push to get out into stores ...

We're trying to expand out. I don't want to jump from our little area here and go overseas or something that quickly. We're trying to start small and work outwards. I want to expand out and go to Chicago and Cleveland - that kind of thing. In 2008 we might go out and do a European tour. But (right now), about every weekend we're playing.

THE SHOW: 10 p.m. Friday, March 30 at Poison Room, 301 W. Fifth St., downtown. With Lost State of Franklin, Hotel War and guest appearance by David Rhodes Brown. $5-$7. 513-333-0010.

NOV./DEC. RM REVIEW: Rumble Club "Rumble Club Rides Tonight" (Rumble Club Records) 2005 This rugged and stalwart Kentucky trio is a "can't miss" entry in the neo-billy field. They've honed a solid and addictive brand of rockin' that's sure to please. All sound good and motivated - this is a fun disc and a furious one. Jack Coray's deep-as-the-Mississippi, Cashesque vocals and rampaging guitar, together with headlong accompaniment by slapper Slimtone Osborn and drummer Matt Walsh, make for a disc most remarkable. This fast-paced and nitro-fueled music cuts full-on rockabilly with western voicings, countryish bopping and fireball psych storming. As likely to remind listeners of the Reverend Horton Heat as of Johnny Cash. One Kentucky pundit called Rumble Club "like the Clash, if they were American and more concerned with cars than politics." RECOMMENDED TRACKS: "My 56," "Lord Have Mercy," "Fantasma Juan," "The Rumble Club" rumbleclub.com CDBaby.com/rumbleclub FIVE STARS

Best of Cincinnati 2005
· Psychobilly/Rockabilly trio Rumble Club releases its debut album, Rumble Club Rides Tonight, with a show Saturday in the Southgate House's parlour room. The disc was recorded with legendary producer/engineer Erwin Musper at his new Northern Kentucky studio and features 11 sizzling, high-octane songs that buzz with the spirit of vintage Rockabilly and burn with the fire of classic Punk. (rumbleclubrecords.com)

The saying goes, "Rock & Roll will never die." And, while that might be true, it depends a bit more upon who's keeping it alive, particularly when it comes to Rockabilly music. Some oldies cover acts are more embalmers than caretakers. They preserve what was once vital by repeating it ad infinitum, not taking the music anywhere new nor being influenced by any of the other music released in the last 50 years. They turn Rockabilly into a show-piece, like the original Batmobile at a car show that still looks sort of cool if you prod your memory and sense of charity hard enough.

Rumble Club will have none of that, thank you very much. Between Jack Coray's big guitar and big voice, Mike Kiley's big upright bass and Matt Walsh's physically small yet sonically large drums, they're ready to take Rockabilly into the future "like a rocket," to quote one of their song titles.

Formed over the spring and summer of 2004, Rumble Club's members took an unconventional route to get where they are today. Of the three, leader Coray seems to have "walked the walk" of Rockabilly a bit more than the other two.

"I used to be in an Elvis-type Rockabilly band," says Coray. "But I wanted to go in my own direction. So I decided to find someone who could play upright bass and someone who wanted to play some swing beats. I grew up watching my grandfather playing Chet Atkins on a Gretsch (guitar), and I listened to a lot of Rockabilly."

Walsh is a direct 180 degrees from Coray's background. "Before this band, my last experience in a Rock & Roll band was during high school," Walsh says. "And since then, I hadn't been in any kind of performance situation. And, unlike (Coray and Kiley), I didn't have any kind of appreciation for Rockabilly whatsoever. I was looking for a gig and (Rumble Club) was something new, so I thought I'd give it a try."

The band takes a mix of Chuck Berry riffs, surfin' twang (a la Duane Eddy), the big voice of Johnny Cash (Coray sounds eerily like the original Man in Black) and The Reverend Horton Heat's tempo-revving insanity and filters it all through the grit of Punk, coming out sounding like The Clash if they were American and more concerned with cars than politics. Their high-octane attacks prompt them to call themselves "Psychobilly" ("Psychobilly is just Rockabilly sped up," Coray states simply), and that kind of sets them apart from their peers in Cincinnati's burgeoning Rockabilly scene. The band even organized a Psychobilly night at Covington's Madison Theater recently.

While the Rockabilly business is beginning to not so much boom as shake and rattle here in town, the Rockabilly scenes overseas in countries like England, Germany, Japan and (of all places) Finland have sizable, rabid followings. Enter the UK's Nervous Records, with whom Rumble Club has a distribution deal for their first as-yet-to-be recorded CD. Nervous is an independent label that considers itself to be " ... the future of Rock & Roll, Rockabilly, Psychobilly or whatever you wanna call it." The label's goal is to create and distribute Rockabilly so it can co-exist in the marketplace with other current recordings and not be branded with the "nostalgia" tag. That suits Rumble Club to a "T."

"We've had all kinds of people at our shows, from grandmothers to young Punk Rock kids," says Coray, "and they all seem to enjoy it, especially the younger Punk crowd. They can kind of see where their music today came from by listening to ours."

Blue Suede News Magazine
Rumble Club is a bad ass Psychobilly-Rockabilly trio from Kentucky. The guys deliver an edgy mix of aggressive Psychobilly with fuzz tone guitar sound, fast Neo-Rockabilly mixed with eerie Johnny Cash sound-a-like Western Bop music and Cow-Punk.

Cuando el lector de cd´s se para en el décimo corte, el contrabajo comienza la galopada sobre una asombosa versión del Twilight Zone de los Golden Earring. Aunque lo más sorprendente llega segundos después, cuando el mismísimo Johnny Cash parace haber regresado de entre los muertos para acompañar a este trío de Kentucky. Todavía noqueado por el imposible cocktail de sonido a lo Stray Cats-Reverend Horton Heat, cover de G. Earring y la voz del hombre de negro, repaso aturdido el trabajo de esta banda de rock&roll de alto octanaje. Como ya se ha escrito, su sonido es como el de unos Clash si fuesen americanos y cambiasen la política por los coches. Por los coches, las viejas películas del Oeste, la idea de sentirse joven y rebelde y las peleas entre bandas. Temática que inunda las letras de las canciones compuestas por Jack Coray, la voz más cercana al Cash de Sun Records que he escuchado nunca. Si con las pistas que aquí te desvelo has decidido echarle el guante a este compacto, no olvides agradecérmelo.

Impressive debut from Kentucky based band whose tempos range from fast to very fast indeed. Their car based graphics suggest hot-rodders but their songs and delivery suggest Stray Cats on horses, and they get a full sound and fine instrumentation from what sounds like a three piece. My 56 clearly a car song, and probably the stand out track from 11 on offer here.

"Hey.... Good.....(long stair, walks away)" - Drunk guy at the Lafayette Brewery show in Indiana.